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SciFi Book Review: TimeRiders: The Doomsday Code

Synopsis:
When a British computer hacker finds his name coded into a centuries-old manuscript, TimeRider Maddy recognizes it as the same message she had also been sent. Sure it must be communication from other TimeRiders agents, she sends Liam and the two support units back to Robin Hood’s time to search for the fabled document-possibly the Holy Grail. But as a war begins to brew between King Richard and his brother John, Liam unwittingly takes on the role of the Sheriff of Nottingham and discovers that the mythical Robin Hood may have been another support unit all along.

Review:
This is the third installment in the TimeRiders series, though mostly standalone adventure. In order to investigate a strange change in the timeline and a message sent to them from the past, Liam, Bob and Becks travel back to the time of the Crusades. Even Maddy gets a chance to travel back in time to learn more about the computer hacker who discovered the encoded message. For some reason, Maddy continues to hold things back from her team, even when she overdramatizes about it. I’m not sure why she doesn’t trust the others, especially when she brings an outsider into their base and reveals everything. That was more than a bit strange. I also think it’s funny how the support units are so violent and willing to kill random people in the past. You would think they would be worried with messing up the timeline by preventing the birth of some important person. Instead, they seem to maim and kill first and think about mission priorities later.

Nitpicking aside, I love this young adult, science fiction series. Each is just as fun and exciting as the last. And I really enjoyed this new twist on the Robin Hood and Holy Grail legends. More mystery, legends, adventure, and clever secret codes make this a riveting and thrilling read. I eagerly await the next in this exceptional series.